Well, it happened again. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!

As a POTUS, Trump showed remarkable ability in playing politics and controlling his own party.

A US president in many aspects has limited power. The system does now allow him to be an autocrat. Therefore, the president must effectively use the bully pulpit and the megaphone to get what he wants. Trump did it effectively to take over the republican party.

When LBJ tried to pass civil rights act, voting rights act, and other great society legislations, many blue dog democrats opposed him initially. LBJ called them to his office and said "Look son of bitch, I am the president and this is the bill I want. Either you vote for my bill or I will campaign against you. I will fund your primary opponent, and relentlessly support and campaign for him to take you out of office" (of course this conversation is imaginary, but it is common knowledge that this is how LBJ played politics).

And guess what happened next? The democrats fall in line with their president. Politicians are weak in nature. You put a little bit of pressure and they will bow down.

Trump did the same. He used his popularity with his MAGA base to intimidate Republican law makers, and no one dare go against him now. Even libertarian Rand Paul votes with Trump. This was important for Trump, not to pass great legislations, because he could not care less about legislations, unless of course it is tax cut, which he got, but to ensure that he is not impeached. And Trump will not be impeached, irrespective of whether Muller indicts him or not (and note here: Muller will not indict a sitting POTUS). And those who have opposed Trump, many have lost in gubernatorial and other down ballot races.

Obama should have done the same but he was a weak sauce. He was massively popular, had a massive email list, had a filibuster proof senate for the first two years of his presidency, and yet, when blue dog democrats opposed public option in his healthcare legislation, he folded immediately, passed RomneyCare, unconstitutionally made it mandatory to buy insurance, and happily handed over the whole health care system to vultures like insurance companies.

Trump is no alpha male, but when Trump mocks Obama as weak, there is a reason why it sticks. Obama was a beta beyond description. When you are groveling at the boots of insurance companies, wall street, and big pharma, you have no other option but become a beta. This is your legacy Obama, own it and accept it.

__________________
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself- AJH| Don’t disrespect your life by living aimlessly – set goals and work hard to attain them.

.@DonaldJTrumpJr's message to young conservatives: "Keep up that fight. Bring it to your schools. You don't have to be indoctrinated by these loser teachers that are trying to sell you on socialism from birth." pic.twitter.com/IGzyK48Ilp

Wow, very good energy from Trump Jr! Awesome. You know...most of these kids of rich parents just waste their life away from public eye or commitments. But Trump raised all three of his kids very well. They are very good people. Hopefully the one he had with Melania, forget his name, also turns out to be a good person. I am pretty sure it will be the case.

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#PrivatizeBCB
#PrivatizeBFF
The end of Rahim will mark a new great beginning for the complacency free Bangladesh!

A very interesting story is being unfolded here with the stealing of Bezos' d**k pic by National Enquire.

NE obtained these pics and blackmailed Bezos to make a claim that NE's publications are not politically motivated.

Of course Bezos made a smart move here - being the richest man of human history, instead of giving into their foolish demand, he made a counter attack by employing investigators to find out how NE obtained those pics.

This put NE in the backfoot.

Now why is this in the Trump thread?

Because there are two suspects here.

1. Saudi used their money get these pictures about Bezos because they are really unhappy about WaPo's coverage of Khashoggi killing.

2. Trump asked for these pictures to take revenge on Bezos. Trump was always jealous of Bezos, because he does not have as much money as Bezos.

People are suspecting Trump because of his silence. He is not taking a shot at Bezos, which is very anti-Trump. If he was not involved in the process, it is very likely that he would be first one take cheap shot at Bezos, but he is not doing so. This is very unTrumpian.

Trump is really being stupid here. If you want to revenge on Bezos, tax him. But of course he cannot do so, because he also wants tax cut for himself. So he is probably tangoing in the wrong way with the wrong person, which might even cost him his presidency.

__________________
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself- AJH| Don’t disrespect your life by living aimlessly – set goals and work hard to attain them.

Well, it happened again. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is running for President, talking proudly of fighting global warming while standing in a virtual blizzard of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Bad timing. By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2019

As much as we make fun of Trump's global warming tweets, they include some lessons on politics that democrats need to learn, if they want to win.

As I always say, this is the age of T20 in politics. You need to see the ball, hit the ball. Whatever you believe, you need to come clean about it without stuttering. Your passion about your beliefs, right or wrong, projects strength, and when politics is polarized, strong candidates win. Example: Trump, Bolsonerao, Duterte, Erdogan.

Also another rule of thumb to win US presidency in the current climate is holding your base. Trump clearly understands it and he never ever upsets his base. Rightfully or wrongfully, symbolically or honestly, he followed through his campaign promises - TPP, wall, Iran deal, Paris agreement, Moslem ban, China trade war etc. He continuously and tirelessly throws red meat, like the tweet above, to his base, and keeps appeasing them. That his approval rating hovers between solid 35 to 40% is a proof that his base is still firmly behind him. They will be behind him no matter what. No apocalypse can stop MAGA followers from supporting Trump. When the base is intact, it becomes easier to gather the remaining vote percentage and cross the finish line. This is how Trump won in 2016. This is how very likely he will win in 2020.

Also a strong base allows the President to keep his party in check. No republican today dare challenge Trump, because if they do, Trump will unleash his base to end their political career.

Now look at the democrats. They are doing the exact opposite. Their base wants to hear bold left leaning, social democratic policies, proven by Bernie's success in 2016, and yet, instead of appeasing their own base, they come across as centrists/pragmatists, and thus stutter and limp on their way. They get bogged down with questions of practicality and how to pay. Of course there are ways to pay for these bold projects, but politics is not supposed to be about how to pay and pragmatic incremental progress. Trump never got bogged down about how to pay for his wall. He vehemently doubled down on costs, and still does unabashedly. Democrats fail to do the same. Result? It projects weakness, and turns off their own base, if not consciously, definitely subconsciously.

Democrats think that instead of appeasing their base, coming across as holier than thou and uniter will win them the white house. WRONG! This is not the 90s anymore. The era of triangulation is over. Hillary Clinton lost to Trump by adopting this strategy. She thought she could insult her own base but gain enough republican votes and coast to the white house. Guess what? She did not flip a single republican vote. Out of resentment, 9% democrats voted for Trump. Let alone the MAGA guys, even a moderate republican will never vote for a democrat. Thus, it is futile to play the unity and pragmatist card. Republicans never play the unity card. In this polarized environment and age of extreme propaganda, unity means coming across as phony and weak. Thus to win, Dems must be combative and fight for their own vision without any misgiving.

I AM NOT TRUMP did not win democrats in 2016. It will not work in 2020 either. 2020 outcome shall be determined by voter turnout. If democrats do not provide their base enough reason to vote FOR, definitely not enough democratic voters will turn out to vote AGAINST and defeat Trump. That will mean a replay of 2016 and a Trump second term!

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Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself- AJH| Don’t disrespect your life by living aimlessly – set goals and work hard to attain them.

Originally Posted by ToBeFair
Now look at the democrats. They are doing the exact opposite. Their base wants to hear bold left leaning, social democratic policies, proven by Bernie's success in 2016, and yet, instead of appeasing their own base, they come across as centrists/pragmatists, and thus stutter and limp on their way. They get bogged down with questions of practicality and how to pay. Of course there are ways to pay for these bold projects, but politics is not supposed to be about how to pay and pragmatic incremental progress. Trump never got bogged down about how to pay for his wall. He vehemently doubled down on costs, and still does unabashedly. Democrats fail to do the same. Result? It projects weakness, and turns off their own base, if not consciously, definitely subconsciously.

t!

I don't think that's the Democratic base. Your social progressive candidates I don't think represent the Democratic base . They are akin to the tea party I would say .

But one thing I tend to agree with is to get the swing votes of the poor whites you would need some of those radical progressive ideas I suppose . Legalizing immigrants is not gonna get those votes for sure. The risk is loss of vote of the upper middle class Democrats .

The extreme social progressive candidates are dangerous for this country . I would never vote for one.

Now if you meant to say to have a "social progressive" candidate run on democratic ticket to have a chance then your argument becomes more interesting. Basically to summarize you are saying had Bernie instead of Hillary ran, he could have toppled Trump. Because trump also has his own base and ran on republican platform where a lot of them do not agree with him or his demeanor but they stayed true to the party.

There is a slight problem in this argument. Basically how the candidate directly affects you. Republican voters staying true to their party and voting for trump do not affect them negatively as much as a bernie led democratic party would do.

Bernies reform would have penalized high earner massively many of whom vote democratic all the time. The upper middle class lving in subarbs. yes he would have stole a lot of trump swing votes but then i think he would have lost more democratic votes to the republic party due to his punishing tax policies.

- Free/cheap health care
- JOBS
- National security
- Free college tuition/Accessible education
- And a FAIR tax system not a punishing one for one, beneficial for the other.

Look up Obama's campaign, you will realize why he won. not because he was black. his campaign promises resonated with the voters. He had all above the above. But he failed to deliver. Specially on the health front. Which was such a shame.. with a accomodating congress health reform could have been done properly ... the bare bone obama care didn't really fix this broken system.

Since Trump took office:
- ppl's 401k is at all time high
- Jobs are plenty - unemployment all time low
- There is wage growth
- Majority of ppl paid significantly less taxes in 2018 than prior years and will going forward
- There has been no major national security problem
- Broder crossing historically low under trump and he is relentless to get that wall.

Tell me why he wont get re- elected? Russia meddled in election thats why? I don't think so. And most importantly the last democrat who promised them a reformed health care couldn't completely do the job.. no way the next one can with senate under republican control.
------------------

Beside the border wall, i think next he should aim for more comprehensive immigration reform. It's a shame he wont touch health care but he doesnt have to in order to win again.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "gave me the most beautiful copy of a letter that he sent to the people who give out a thing called the Nobel Prize," Trump said at a White House news conference when asked about his late February summit in Vietnam with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "He said, 'I have nominated you, respectfully, on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize.'"

Quote:

Trump complained Friday that Obama was there "for about 15 seconds" before he was awarded the prize.

"I'll probably never get it, but that's OK," Trump said. "They gave it to Obama. He didn't even know what he got it for."

__________________
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself- AJH| Don’t disrespect your life by living aimlessly – set goals and work hard to attain them.

Originally Posted by iDumb
Since Trump took office:
- ppl's 401k is at all time high
- Jobs are plenty - unemployment all time low
- There is wage growth
- Majority of ppl paid significantly less taxes in 2018 than prior years and will going forward
- There has been no major national security problem
- Broder crossing historically low under trump and he is relentless to get that wall.

Tell me why he wont get re- elected? Russia meddled in election thats why? I don't think so. And most importantly the last democrat who promised them a reformed health care couldn't completely do the job.. no way the next one can with senate under republican control.
------------------

Beside the border wall, i think next he should aim for more comprehensive immigration reform. It's a shame he wont touch health care but he doesnt have to in order to win again.

Don't underestimate the power of the "shukhe thakte bhoote kilay" effect

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Originally Posted by iDumb
Since Trump took office:
- ppl's 401k is at all time high
- Jobs are plenty - unemployment all time low
- There is wage growth
- Majority of ppl paid significantly less taxes in 2018 than prior years and will going forward
- There has been no major national security problem
- Broder crossing historically low under trump and he is relentless to get that wall.

So I was skeptical about some of the claims as you keep saying diff stats depending on what news source once read.

And I was surprised that most were true (except for illegal border crossings which has gone up).

These are from FactCheck.Org which is a non partisan organization.

During Trump (as of Jan 19) --

1.The economy added 4.6 million jobs, including nearly half a million in manufacturing.
2. Economic growth quickened, but not as much as Trump promised.
3. The number of regulatory restrictions stopped growing.
4. Carbon dioxide emissions stopped falling, and have increased 1.4 percent under Trump.
5. Illegal border crossings have gone up.
6. Only 22,774 refugees resettled in the U.S. last year — down 76 percent from 2016.
The trade deficit increased 20 percent.
7. The federal debt rose by $1.7 trillion; annual deficits accelerated.
8. After-tax corporate profits soared to the highest on record.

On wages --

Quote:

Paychecks continued to grow faster than prices.

The average weekly earnings of all private-sector workers, in “real” (inflation-adjusted) terms, rose 2.4 percent during Trump’s first 23 months, after going up 3.9 percent during the previous four years.

Those figures are for all private-sector workers, including managers and supervisors.

For rank-and-file production and nonsupervisory workers (who make up 82 percent of all private-sector workers), real weekly earnings have gone up 2.5 percent so far under Trump, after rising 4.7 percent during Obama’s last four years in office.

On Border Crossings --

Quote:

Illegal border crossings, which at first declined under Trump, have now risen to above where they were the year before he took office.

The number of people caught while illegally trying to cross the U.S. border with Mexico each month plunged to a low of 11,127 in April of Trump’s first year, according to figures released by the U.S. Border Patrol. But since then, the number has more than quadrupled, hitting 51,856 in November and 50,753 in December.

For 2018, the monthly average was 38,885, which is 5.3 percent higher than the monthly average of 36,912 in 2016.

1. The economy gained a net 11.6 million jobs. The unemployment rate dropped to below the historical norm.
2. Average weekly earnings for all workers were up 4.0 percent after inflation. The gain was 3.7 percent for just production and nonsupervisory employees.
3. After-tax corporate profits also set records, as did stock prices. The S&P 500 index rose 166 percent.
4. The number of people lacking health insurance dropped by 15 million. Premiums rose, but more slowly than before.
5. The federal debt owed to the public rose 128 percent. Deficits were rising as Obama departed.
6. Home prices rose 20 percent. But the home ownership rate hit the lowest point in half a century.
Illegal immigration declined: The Border Patrol caught 35 percent fewer people trying to get into the U.S. from Mexico.
7. Wind and solar power increased 369 percent. Coal production declined 38 percent. Carbon emissions from burning fossil fuel dropped 11 percent.
Production of handguns rose 192 percent, to a record level.
8. The murder rate dropped to the lowest on record in 2014, then rose and finished at the same rate as when Obama took office.

Originally Posted by iDumb
Since Trump took office:
- ppl's 401k is at all time high
- Jobs are plenty - unemployment all time low
- There is wage growth
- Majority of ppl paid significantly less taxes in 2018 than prior years and will going forward
- There has been no major national security problem
- Broder crossing historically low under trump and he is relentless to get that wall.
.

I don't think real wages are growing. If wages are going up 10%, cost of living is increasing 15%.

Quote:

Tell me why he wont get re- elected? Russia meddled in election thats why? I don't think so. And most importantly the last democrat who promised them a reformed health care couldn't completely do the job.. no way the next one can with senate under republican control.

He might win, but it will be close. The 2018 midterms were essentially a referendum and the Dems crushed it in both the House and the Senate. Yes, they lost 2 seats, but that was while they were defending 3x as many as the GOP was. IF that voter enthusiasim comes to play it might be one and done.

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
I don't think real wages are growing. If wages are going up 10%, cost of living is increasing 15%.

inflation are in check. If it wasn't you would see fed raising rates and not go wait and watch.

Listen I am a first generation immigrant in this country (though came at very early age so this is home and my thinking is no different than American born when it comes to issues pertaining to USA)...

I will give u my tax situation..I made 30K more TAXABLE income in 2018 than 2017 but paid 5k less in taxes. Tell me why wouldn't I vote republican instead of progressive dems who wants to ruin my kids future by taxing me so much where i will struggle to save for their college? or have to cut their weekly swimming lessons and take a lifestyle hit? - so i can fund my neighbor kids college? There are million and millions of regular folks like me who will see this and vote accordingly. People with lower income will have somewhat of a similar effect.

Only way I will sway my decision if I see a plan where me paying higher taxes gives a better overall social system where it will be beneficial for all not a portion of bottom entitled one. If someone says i will tax you higher and the bottom earner also higher but will do a healthcare overhaul where it will be absoutely free for all... I will buy into it. Why would the lower income not pay taxes but reap benefits that I can't even have access to?? does that makes sense? Medicaid is the perhaps the best insurance. Go through a major illness with ur current medical insurance u will realize how f&(* up the system is.

One of Bernie Sanders brilliant idea was to not cap social security income. Bascially once ur earnings go above 130K or so SS tax stops as the max SS benefits they give u isn't worth the higher taxation. How is that a fair system? I am paying into a system all my life without any limit whatsoever so someone else who had lived all those years in the same country as me, had the same opportunity to save money for retirement but didn't can have the govt insurance paid by someone else?? I find this type of thinking very problematic.

taxing corporations, Big business, super wealthy and their investments at higher percentage is a lot different than what Bernie was planning to do. I like him because he had all his plans laid out.. He was a piss poor candidate for me because I read went through his plan. It's a punishing policy for those who worked hard for a better lifestyle than the absolute bottom.

Originally Posted by mufi_02
These are from FactCheck.Org which is a non partisan organization.

On Border Crossings --

thanks for the real facts. it's good to see charts. Yes there was news i read when trumps broder crossing number was at all low and i was aware it was coming up bud didn't' know it had gone higher than previous. More reason why his efforts to double down on wall is that more important.

As u showed above. Obama tried doing and promised exactly what American ppl want and in the process got elected twice. But he couldn;t really cross that big expectations we had of him... his signature health care reform.

Sure trump will get his relection again but if he can't get this signature wall or a complete immigration reform, i would say he would be somewhat of a failure. Also this trade deficits widening is concerning ... but he is still relentless. China has advanced techonologically so much on backs of stealing others intellectual property. Why no previous president go after them when they were at their infancy?? Now they are self reliant and it's that much harder to fight them any longer. USA lost.

at the end of the day it’s the rhetorics that wins election. Very few people reads policies and understand its implications. People vote based on what they hear and like what they hear. Trump promised a lot of things for middle and rural America. It doesn’t matter whether they fulfill his promised or not. But these people realized they finally have a voice in him and voted for him.

Mainstream media and identity politics are to be blamed for it massively. You see late night talking hosts and Hollywood elites making fun of Trump all day. You see headlines like “So and so famous person owned trump on Twitter”. But regular people cares very little about who owned who in social media.

Originally Posted by iDumb
inflation are in check. If it wasn't you would see fed raising rates and not go wait and watch.

I dont know much about econ, but I thought I heard the fed had raised the rates a number of times in the last few years.

But the thing I don't understand is the concept of wage growth. If wages are higher, things will automatically start costing more. That was one of the [valid] criticisms of NY state's raising the minimum wage to 15$. That is going to eventually be offset. 100 years ago a house used to cost 20,000 but it doesn't anymore because now even a janitor makes 20K a year.

Quote:

Tell me why wouldn't I vote republican instead of progressive dems who wants to ruin my kids future by taxing me so much where i will struggle to save for their college? or have to cut their weekly swimming lessons and take a lifestyle hit? - so i can fund my neighbor kids college? There are million and millions of regular folks like me who will see this and vote accordingly. People with lower income will have somewhat of a similar effect.

So one of the problems with this type of "conservative" thinking (for lack of a better word) is that its overly focused on one thing and thats not even fully true.

You've made a lot of elementary assumptions that are simply not true:

1) ALL your tax money goes to "welfare" for poor people
This is not true. When you pay taxes, it goes towards funding public schools that your kids will attend. If your kids go to private school, fair enough, but taxes go to building and maintaining roads, police services, and host of other stuff I can't even think of right now. The idea that only poor people benefit from state institutions is ridiculous. Come'on bro, You're smarter than that.

Tax money goes towards defense spending like buying new F-35 fighter aircraft. The US military doesn't just defend poor Americans.

Tax money pays the salaries of politicians who actually do MORE for their rich constituents than their poor ones (like vote for tax breaks).

If anything rich people benefit more from tax revenue than poor people do. Why should a poor person who walks to work have to pay for the road repair so you can drive your fancy Beamer on it? The argument goes both ways. Rich people actually benefit more from taxes than others. And they should if they pay more. But only within reason.

2) All poor people are lazy.
Rich people work hard. Poor people work hard too. And they do it for much less money. Poor people put more on the line for less. No Wall Street Banker risks his life at work everyday. But a gas station attendant in the South Bronx does. Try telling a rickshaw walla in Dhaka that he's lazy or that his job is not as taxing - pardon the pun - as yours is.

3) Anything not "fun" is unnecessary
Also known as "I don't like paying taxes, therefore I don't want to". Since when is pleasure alone the benchmark for the importance of something? No one likes paying taxes, but we do it because we realize that the type of society that we choose to live in (ie modern day human civilization) necessitates it. People who are anti-tax can shun human society and go and live in the forest. There are plenty of unconctacted tribal peoples in the jungles of South America who don't pay taxes. Cocaine from what I hear is a really fun thing to snort, but doesn't mean that its always a good idea.

Now most people will agree that the taxes we are payign are too much and don't expect a free ride but want a sensible tax policy. Thats fair and should be collectively decided as a society but only with all the information to make an informed decision. It also comes down to spending our tax dollars in a sensible way isntead of wasting it here and there.

I didn't make this assumption ..you did it reading my post. If you read my other posts throughout years u will realize I am for cutting costs .. fiscally responsible . In every sector . Healthcare military entitlement program .

When you expand these programs without fixing them ur solution is to raise taxes on ppl who are rich in an arbritrary income number. Bernie Sanders plan falls there somewhat .

There has to be fair taxation .. why do 40 percent ppl don't pay taxes at all but enjoy all the benefits including healthcare roads/sidewalk police service ? So ur arguments are weak .

Anyways I have many things to say but I won't because all of u liberals are gonna pounce on me . No reason an able bodied and mentally stable person in America not thrive .

I am for reform .. not expansion ..if that makes any sense . I think some ppl deserve more state help than they get.

My father worked for 5 dollars an hour .. refused to apply for food stamp because that's beneath him instead I worked at age 14. There are some principal that I believe in that's been deeply engrained . And since I am an immigrant so obviusly I know other immigrants and then I see how ppl are gaming it . Makes my blood boil.

I am very much for immigration reform as well .. including curbing legal immigration and do away with this family based instead if talent based. The goal is to have zero drag to the system for any immigrants .

There has to be fair taxation .. why do 40 percent ppl don't pay taxes at all but enjoy all the benefits including healthcare roads/sidewalk police service ? So ur arguments are weak .

I'm all for everyone paying SOME taxes. But you can't expect Apple CEO who probably makes 20 million dollars a year salary (maybe even more than that) to pay the same amount as a kid who works at Duane Reade.

Quote:

I didn't make this assumption ..you did it reading my post. If you read my other posts throughout years u will realize I am for cutting costs .. fiscally responsible . In every sector . Healthcare military entitlement program .

You're right I made the asssumption, but it was a spot on assumption.

Out of the 100 examples you could have picked, you picked the one about your neighbor's kid's school or something. Why? The tone was that your neighbor and/or his kid is or are lazy and you shouldn't have to pay for their school. But only a small fraction of your tax dollars go to paying for schools (and 0% of federal income tax). Here are all the things your taxes pay for:

public schools
libraries
parks
county hospitals
state universities
federally funded research
road maintainence
MTA transit
mayor's salary
congresspeople's salary
the military
Trump's Wall
Israel/Egypt/Pakistan aid
various other things I can't think of or don't even know about

It literally took me 2 minutes to come up with that list. But the first thing you mentioned was your lazy neighbor and his dumb kid. Its only natural to think that was the angle you were hinting at. Its like creating a thread pointing out all of Riyad's failures, and then saying its an assumption that I'd like to see him dropped. Sure it is, but its a reasonable assumption.